Disconnect switch



Jan. 17,1950 P, R, PERSON I 2,495;1s1

DISCONNECT SWITCH Filed May 28, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet l WITNESSES:INVENTOR Y Pau/ E Hie/.6 00. r Y 1 w Jan. 17, 1950 R, PERSON 2,495 181 vDISCONNECT SWITCH Filed May 28, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSES: IDNVENTOR PQu/E 1 /89/1900.

Jan. 17, 1950 P. R. PIERSON DISCONNECT SWITCH Filed May 28, 1947 5Sheets-Sheet 5 WITNESSES: lNVEfrlTOR a. W -P:7u/,. l /ers on.

II are connected to a secondary shaft 25 which is mounted in suitablebearings 26. The switch blades are connected to their respective shaftsby levers 21 and insulators 28.

The secondary shaft 23 is connected to a main shaft 29 by means of atie-rod 3| and levers 32, 33 and 34 and a bolt 35. Likewise, thesecondary shaft 25 is connected to the main shaft 29 by means of atie-rod 36 and levers 31, 38 and 39 and a bolt 4|. The levers 33 and 38are rotatably mounted on the shaft 29. The levers 34 and 39 are securedto the shaft 29. The lever 34 may be connected to the lever 33 by thebolt 35. Likewise, the lever 39 may be connected to the lever 38 by thebolt 4|. The shaft 29 may be rotated by a gear mechanism 42 which may beoperated by a crank 43, see Fig. 1. In this manner the shaft 29 may berotated to open and close both groups of disconnect switches in theusual manner.

In order that the circuit breaker and the disconnect switches may beutilized for grounding one or the other of the power circuits connectedto the disconnect switches, provision is made for locking either groupof switches in a predetermined position without interfering with theoperation of the other group of switches. Thus, if it is desired toground the power conductors connected to the switches of group l9 thegrounding operation can be performed in two ways. The switches of groupIt] may be locked in the closed position by removing the bolt 35 fromthe position shown by the full lines in Figs. 2 and 3, and inserting itthrough the lever 33 into a block 44 which is secured to the housing l2.The removal of the bolt 35 from its position shown by the full lines andinserting it in the position shown by the dotted lines, releases thelever 33 from the lever 34 and secures the lever 33 to the block 44,thereby retaining the switches of group ID in the closed position. Theshaft 29 may then be rotated to open the switches of group II and causethem to engage the grounding contact members 22.

If desired, the switches of group Il may be locked in the groundedposition by removing the bolt 4| from the position shown by the fulllines in Figs. 2 and 4 and inserting it through the plate 38 into ablock 45 which is secured to the housing 2. In this manner the lever 38is released from the lever 39 and is secured to the block 45 to retainthe switches of group I l in the grounded position.

The circuit breaker may then be closed, thereby grounding the powerconductors connected to the switches of group I0. Furthermore, neithergroup of switches can be inadvertently operated to remove the groundwhile the circuit breaker is closed since both groups are locked in thedesired position.

If it is desired to ground the power conductors connected to theswitches of group II, the switches of group II are locked in the closedposition by inserting the bolt 4| through the lever 38 into a block 46which is secured to the housing I2. The switches of group ID are thenoperated to the grounded position by rotating the shaft 29 and they maybe locked in the grounded position by inserting the bolt 35 through theplate 33 into a block 41 which is secured to the housing I2 as shown inFig. 3.

In this manner, either group of switches may be locked in one or theother of two predetermined positions without interfering with theoperation of the other group of switches. Furthermore, both groups maybe released from the operating mechanism and locked in one or the otherof two predetermined positions.

As previously explained, the grounding operation may be performed inanother way. Thus, if it is desired to ground the circuits connected tothe switches of group I0, both groups of switches are opened, as a sixpole gang, under proper interlock protection to insure that theassociated circuit breaker is open. The six poles engage the groundingcontact members in the open position. The switches of group H are thenlocked in the grounded position with the bolt 4| and the switches ofgroup ID are returned to the closed position, thereby completing thecircuit to the terminals of the circuit breaker. The grounding of thiscircuit can then be accomplished by closing the circuit breaker.

If it is desired to ground the circuits connected to the switches ofgroup II the operation is similar to the foregoing except that theswitches of group H] are locked in the grounded position with the bolt35 and the switches of group II are returned to the closed position. Thecircuits are then grounded by closing the circuit breaker.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that I have provided amechanism for operating two groups of disconnect switches when it isdesired to operate both groups simultaneously. If it is desired tooperate one group independently of the other, this may be readily donewith the mechanism herein described.

Furthermore, either group may be locked in one or the other of twopredetermined positions without interfering with the operation of theother group. As explained hereinbefore, the present structure isparticularly suitable for operating disconnect switches which areutilized in conjunction with an automatically controlled circuit breakerfor grounding the power circuits connected to the disconnect switches.

Since numerous changes may be made in the above-described construction,and different embodiments of the invention may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope thereof, it is intended that all mattercontained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanyingdrawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a switchgear structure, in combination,

a plurality of disconnect switches, a main shaft,

crank means for rotating said shaft, a plurality of actuating means foropening and closing said switches, lever means for selectivelyconnecting said actuating means to said main shaft to operatepreselected switches independently of the other switches, and bolt meanscooperating with said lever means for selectively locking said switchesin predetermined positions.

2. In a switchgear structure, in combination, a plurality of disconnectswitches, a main shaft, crank means for rotating said shaft, a pluralityof actuating means for opening and closing said switches, lever meansfor selectively connecting said actuating means to said main shaft tooperate preselected switches independently of the other switches, andbolt means cooperating with said lever means for selectively lockingsaid switches in predetermined positions without interfering with theoperation of the other switches.

3. In a switchgear structure, in combination, a plurality of disconnectswitches, a main shaft, crank means for rotating said shaft, a pluralityof actuating means for opening and closing said switches, lever meansfor selectively connecting said actuating means to said main shaft to0perate preselected switches independently of the other switches, andbolt means cooperating with said lever means for selectively lockingsaid actuating means to retain preselected switches in predeterminedpositions.

4. In a switchgear structure, in combination, a plurality of disconnectswitches, a main shaft, crank means for rotating said shaft, a pluralityof actuating means for opening and closing said switches, lever meansfor selectively connecting said actuating means to said main shaft tooperate preselected switches independently of the other switches, andbolt means cooperating with said lever means for selectively lockingsaid actuating means to retain preselected switches in predeterminedpositions without interfering with the operation of the actuating meansfor the other switches.

5. In a switchgear structure, in combination, a plurality of groups ofdisconnect switches, a main shaft, gear means for rotating said shaft, asecondary shaft for actuating each group of switches, lever means forselectively connecting said secondary shafts to said main shaft tooperate a preselected group of switches independently of the otherswitches, and bolt means cooperating with said lever means forselectively locking groups of said switches in predetermined positions.

6. In a switchgear structure, in combination, a plurality of groups ofdisconnect switches, a main shaft, gear means for rotating said shaft, asecondary shaft for actuating each group of switches, lever means forselectively connecting said secondary shafts to said main shaft tooperate a preselected group of switches independently of the otherswitches, and bolt means cooperating with said lever means for looking apreselected group of switches in a predetermined position withoutinterfering with the operation of the other switches.

'7. In a switchgear structure, in combination, a plurality of groups ofdisconnect switches, a main shaft, gear means for rotating said shaft, asecondary shaft for actuating each group of switches, lever means forselectively connecting said secondary shafts to said main shaft tooperate a preselected group of switches independently of the otherswitches, and bolt means cooperating with said lever means forselectively locking each secondary shaft against rotation to retain itsgroup of switches in a predetermined position.

8. In a switchgear structure, in combination, a plurality of groups ofdisconnect switches, a main shaft, gear means for rotating said shaft, asecondary shaft for actuating each group of switches, lever means forselectively connecting said secondary shafts to said main shaft tooperate a preselected group of switches independently of the otherswitches, and bolt means for selectively locking the connecting meansfor each secondary shaft in a predetermined position to retain theswitches operated by said shaft in a preselected position withoutinterfering with the operation of the other switches.

PAUL R. PIERSON.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Iglehart Feb. 20, 1945Number

